Chapter 315
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 315
Chapter Title: Lesson 61. The Innocent Sinner - 5
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Ban Yu-won had made one mistake.
Letting Eve swallow the Orb whole had been the problem.
The Orb—a priceless treasure containing the full essence of the Chancellor and Xenon, not to mention the Tower itself—was an artifact that meshed terrifyingly well with his familiar, Eve. And because of that, Eve had advanced to the next stage.
Eve himself seemed to realize his blunder, but even he couldn't stop the momentum. In the end, all Ban Yu-won could do was retrieve the familiar, now curled into an egg-shaped form floating in midair, into his inventory.
'At any rate, I've shattered the virtual space. The rest should be fine without Eve.'
Eve was always like insurance, reading Ban Yu-won's intentions, moving on his behalf, and tirelessly covering his blind spots.
A twinge of unease settled in his chest, but he shook it off and gripped Requiem.
"It's time I prove I can be more helpful than my sister!"
Lilith, empowered by her rival's withdrawal, shouted energetically as she latched onto his back.
Starting from where she clung, wings of crackling electric current unfurled from both sides of Ban Yu-won's shoulders.
And it wasn't just that—a strange sensation enveloped his entire body.
Ban Yu-won felt Lilith's unique demonic neural power, spatial transcendence, breakthrough, acceleration, and other concepts resonating more deeply with him than ever before.
This girl... she's finally...
"She's finally copying it."
"Mine's way more upgraded! Abel doesn't have compression, but it can become a custom reinforced suit for you, Master—even with wings!"
She'd been so envious of the mecha dragon enveloping As Light's body that she'd finally figured out how to use her myriad transformations to become a reinforced suit herself.
He had no idea about the intricate mechanisms, but Lilith was a constantly evolving yokai machine.
In other words, in areas related to machinery, she was even more specialized than Ban Yu-won.
Above all, she possessed a power source—demonic neural power—that surpassed her sister Eve's. Simply lending it to him boosted his combat strength.
"Thinking back, I can't believe I didn't come up with this sooner. Unless we're riding a bike or fighter jet, merging is the best option."
Even Ban Yu-won hadn't thought of that.
Of course, diverting Lilith's power to assist him meant he couldn't operate Abel, but against Xenon—who exuded an aura that annihilated anything it touched—Abel wouldn't have been much use anyway.
—Boom, clang, screeech!
Even as Ban Yu-won prepared for battle, deafening explosions echoed from above, where Dokgo Yeon and Shati clashed with Xenon.
Before the virtual space shattered, Xenon had focused on Ban Yu-won, giving the two women openings to strike. But now, with his attacks concentrated on Dokgo Yeon, she was taking direct hits while Shati desperately intervened to protect her. Both were being pushed back.
"Let's go."
"Ready when you are, Master."
"I won't... lose either."
"Melee's tough, but I'll support from behind."
Lucelle, As Light, and Mira responded competitively.
The only one without a reply was Ire. Looking up at Xenon, she wore an expression Ban Yu-won had never seen before.
A savagely murderous smile.
"Ire?"
"...Ah."
At his call, her face returned to normal. She shook her head and approached him.
"Let's go together. That guy's dangerous."
"Yeah. Thanks."
Maybe her genes carried hatred for Xenon's kind.
Ban Yu-won hoped the emotion he'd glimpsed in her was fleeting as he kicked off the floor, leading the group.
[Breakthrough] & [Acceleration]
He maxed out his speed with Lilith's concepts of [Breakthrough] and [Acceleration].
To counter the annihilation magic power, he infused Requiem with [Stigmata] and [Holy Light] simultaneously.
As support and amplification: [Judgment] to empower him against evil, [Rebellion] against stronger foes, and the constellation-granted authority [Gap] to boost his reaction speed even slightly.
'One strike to end it.'
[Pierce]
All these concepts fused organically within his Origin Sword, elevating his movements.
The wings formed from Lilith's energy flapped once in the air, and in the next instant, Ban Yu-won shot toward Xenon just as he lunged at Dokgo Yeon.
[Pierce]
But just as he thrust the sharpened blade-tip toward Xenon's forehead, he saw a smile curl on the transcendent's lips.
—Kwaaaah!
Black magic power bloomed around Xenon, folding in like closing petals to engulf Ban Yu-won.
He'd developed the Origin Sword to read opponents' movements, but this damned transcendent was erasing even the concepts that made him up with annihilation magic power.
[Kyaa!]
"Urk!"
The violent clash of energies erupted.
But as he'd always suspected, Ban Yu-won's abilities were overwhelmingly disadvantaged against Xenon.
No matter what meaning or power was infused, it all crumbled into nothingness before annihilation.
A perfect matchup mismatch—total inferiority.
Ban Yu-won barely regained his composure and retreated, biting his lip.
'That's why I wanted a perfect ambush...!'
Xenon had feigned focus on Dokgo Yeon while keeping Ban Yu-won in his sights.
His ultimate target was Ban Yu-won, after all—and he'd hidden it perfectly.
"Master, Requiem!"
Lilith screamed, and Ban Yu-won turned to check his sword, sighing inwardly.
The power infused in Requiem to resist the annihilation magic had been depleted.
It wasn't ruined forever, but recharging it would take months.
"Watch out!"
—Whipcrack, screeech!
Dokgo Yeon intercepted the dozens of black whips pursuing the retreating Ban Yu-won.
Crack. A fracture appeared on the Executioner's Longsword—the blade that had supported him through countless battlefields.
Feeling Dokgo Yeon's energy waver and disperse, Ban Yu-won groaned.
"You okay?"
"I'm fine. But—"
Dokgo Yeon positioned herself protectively in front of him and whispered.
Her complexion was poor from unleashing so much death in such a short time, but her eyes still burned fiercely.
The eyes of one who hadn't given up.
"Won, the longer we drag this out, the worse it gets for us."
Her gaze fixed on the rest of the group exploiting the opening from Ban Yu-won blocking Xenon's attack to pressure him. Even if they brushed off the annihilation magic power, only Shati and Ire could actually wound him.
Lucelle and As Light had excellent offense but no defense against annihilation, making them vulnerable. Mira's compound curses and changelings were erased before manifesting—making her as disadvantaged as Ban Yu-won.
"Killing students doesn't sit right with me, but if you keep blocking me, I have no choice!"
"Jealous of Yu-won and trying to kill him? What bullshit... Urk!"
"As Light needs a proper education."
"Dodge!"
Xenon's killing intent intensified.
The dimensional line contracted, the walls turning pitch black.
With the Chancellor gone, Xenon controlled the dimensional line. He drew on its power source to manifest his abilities fully.
"He'll be angry, but—I have to kill you now."
Even the virtual space via the Orb had been to handle Ban Yu-won without alerting the Chancellor, within his own limits.
Now, throwing caution to the wind, he could overwhelm them.
Dokgo Yeon scanned the battlefield and spoke with renewed resolve.
"I'll kill him."
"But Yeon, you too..."
"Give me that."
Dokgo Yeon reached out, pointing to his chest.
Ban Yu-won froze.
"What?"
"I know what it is. It's the energy I wield."
"...Yeon."
As the crisis deepened, he'd carried the dagger the Chancellor had given him.
He knew he wasn't ready to use it, but better him raging with it than let transcendents slaughter everyone.
But he had no intention of giving it to Dokgo Yeon.
Because...
"Yeon, no. It's too dangerous."
No matter how adept she was with death energy, there was no guarantee she could handle this dagger.
"What are you misunderstanding?"
Dokgo Yeon snorted at his concern and snatched the dagger from his chest in one motion.
"That wasn't a request—it was a notice. You think we have time to hesitate?"
"You."
"Get it together, Ban Yu-won. If you die, everyone here follows."
Calling his full name for the first time in ages, she jammed the black dagger into the crack in the Executioner's Longsword.
As she'd said, since it was her familiar energy, she controlled it effortlessly?
The melting dagger filled the fractures, then blackened the entire blade.
Gripping it with both hands, Dokgo Yeon charged at Xenon—then paused, turning back to Ban Yu-won as if she had something to say.
Despite knowing time was critical.
"Yeon?"
"Ah."
She shook her head at his worried gaze and flashed a provocative smile.
"No energy to waste. Clear the path for me."
"Yeon, what you were about to say—"
"You can do it, right, Won?"
"...Yeah."
He bit his lip in helplessness but nodded.
He worried about her handling that immense power, but once she'd decided, he couldn't stop her.
Better to support and end it quickly.
"Celron, Lilith!"
—I have to win. No matter what.
"Ugh, I'm definitely killing that bastard! No doubt!"
He pulled every talisman of primal energy and holy light from his inventory, activating them, and drew fully on Celron and Lilith's powers.
Squeezing every last drop, he manifested holy light magic.
"Still relying on that... Tch!"
As Xenon reached out to summon annihilation piercing both Ban Yu-won and Dokgo Yeon—
Dozens of light beams crisscrossed the void, shattering the darkness.
If he couldn't detect it before manifestation, pinpoint the moment and unleash a barrage.
It couldn't harm Xenon directly, but it sufficed to tear his annihilation magic.
Ban Yu-won calculated furiously to produce the beams and shouted.
"Support Yeon! Pin that bastard down!"
"Got it, Master!"
The group, battered by Xenon, caught their breath thanks to Ban Yu-won's relentless beams.
He layered spells, creating a holy light formation around them to amplify effects.
Focused solely on support, even the dimensional line-filling annihilation faltered.
The blackened ceiling and floor rippled, losing power.
It wouldn't last long with all his effort poured in, but suppressing Union Academy's second-in-command was miraculous.
"Annoying!"
"That's my line!"
As Light's spear blocked annihilation aimed at Ban Yu-won.
Mira's arrow exploded the black tentacles behind Xenon.
Shati's blast exploiting the gap made him stagger.
Lucelle's nine foxfire orbs, sparking, stripped his protective annihilation.
"Dragon's... foe!"
"Kuh?!"
Ire's gritted-teeth ice magic finally froze Xenon's feet, binding him.
One more second, and he'd grind the dimensional power source to erase it—but Dokgo Yeon, wielding the death sword, was already upon him.
"Die."
"Too bad, but that won't—!"
A conical spike erupted from Xenon's hollow abdomen, clashing with her sword.
Or so it seemed.
"Hmph."
"Gahk!"
Dokgo Yeon and her blade passed through the spike as if intangible—
Slicing Xenon cleanly from head to toe.
Sudden silence.
Then, the half-corpse Xenon spoke.
"...Do you know what you've done?"
"I couldn't cut you otherwise."
"Then you should've avoided it even more."
The bisected Xenon glared at Dokgo Yeon.
"Foolish. Now you're already de—"
"Ha."
She slashed horizontally across his neck, silencing him.
His two halves flew apart, faces grotesquely twisted.
The next instant, all annihilation clashing with holy light vanished.
The familiar dimensional line interior reappeared.
—Clang...
The sword fell, clattering to the floor.
Mana-depleted, Ban Yu-won flapped Lilith's limp wings desperately to reach her.
"Yeon!"
"I'm fine."
Dokgo Yeon knelt calmly.
As he reached for her shoulder, his hand passed through her—just like Xenon's had.
He inhaled sharply—realizing what his eyes saw wasn't wrong.
Dokgo Yeon stood before him, but his concept-reading eyes saw only [Death].
If only he didn't know what that meant.
"It's okay, Won. Really..."
She whispered reassurances, her face serene—as if she'd known this would happen.
Or pretending. Either way, he could no longer read her emotions.
"R-Right. The candy..."
"No use. It's not pain. This is sublimation. Humans transforming into death."
She shook her head, reaching for his hand—but grasping only air, she gave a wry smile.
"Daring to wield death in a human body... Failure reverses causality."
"Dokgo Yeon?!"
As the battle ended and they caught their breath, As Light finally noticed and screamed, only to be held back by Lucelle.
Seeing Lucelle silently shake her head, she gaped, tried to speak, then slumped in defeat.
"You... knew this would..."
"Between us, I had to be the one. But you'd worry."
"Don't say stupid things! You dying is absurd...!"
"You have no idea how happy that makes me."
Dokgo Yeon smiled thinly.
Even using every concept, artifact, life jam, and blood elixir at his disposal, Ban Yu-won couldn't overcome the death composing her—he was repelled. Watching his despair, she smiled proudly.
"Won, look at me."
"No, this can't—"
"Won."
She knelt to meet his eyes, then slowly leaned in for a kiss.
No warmth, no sensation.
"Should've forced it earlier, after all."
She pulled back, frowning playfully.
Finally, he noticed the change in her pupils.
Her cross-shaped pupils spun rapidly, evolving into concentric circles emitting strange waves.
'Maybe Yeon was destined from birth...'
As he sighed inwardly, he sensed an anomaly from her.
Specifically, mana from her Student ID necklace.
Similar to his, but vastly superior in quality.
Like spatial teleportation magic—but laced with greater authority.
Intuiting it, he clenched his fist.
Cursed, yet fortunate.
"I'll come find you."
"Yeah. I'll be waiting."
Dokgo Yeon, aware as the person involved, nodded as if awaiting his words, smiling shyly.
"I have something to say."
"No goodbyes."
"Not that."
A halo of light enveloped her.
The brief precursor to Student ID teleportation, now prolonged, making her glow ethereally.
Beautiful enough to stun anyone.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
"Mm."
His awaited response made her nod shyly, smiling softly.
"But if you're too late, I might come find you first."
She whispered, then vanished with the glowing Student ID.
Nothing remained.
Truly nothing.
At that moment, deep within Babel Tower.
A new true name was added to the final line of the stele inscribed with all constellations' names.